The Court of Appeal in Accra has rejected an application filed by the Secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana, Rev. Kusi Boateng, seeking to overturn the decision of the High Court to dismiss a contempt suit the pastor filed against the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

According to myjoyonline.com, the Appeals Court panel of judges presiding over the case ruled that the grounds of appeal did not comply with the court's rules during proceedings on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.

The court ruled that the grounds for the appeal were incompetent and inadmissible, and dismissed it.

"The application was against the rules of the Court of Appeal, which state that the appellant must clearly state where the judge erred," the presiding judge is quoted to have said.

This is the third time the contempt suit against Ablakwa by Rev. Kusi Boateng, also known as Kwabena Adu Gyamfi, has been dismissed by a court.

The pastor initially filed a suit against the North Tongu MP at the Human Rights Court to prevent the lawmaker from discussing him in relation to the National Cathedral project, but it was dismissed.

He then proceeded to the High Court and faced another defeat.

Rev. Boateng’s legal team, led by Bobby Banson, presented new arguments to the Court of Appeals, hoping to reverse their fortunes in a high-profile legal dispute that has attracted significant media attention.

Thaddeus Sory, the lawyer for Ablakwa, expressed concerns when the panel of judges hearing the matter was reconstituted during proceedings on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, with Justice Dzamefe removed from the original lineup.

Reasons Why Kusi Boateng Sued Ablakwa:

The MP mentioned the clergyman in his "Mother of all scandals" publication on January 16, 2023, alleging primarily that Kusi Boateng was using two different identities on official documents.

He had previously alleged that an amount of GH¢2.6 million was "irregularly" paid out from the coffers of the National Cathedral to JNS Talent Centre, a company closely associated with Kusi Boateng.

In response to the accusations, the clergyman stated that he welcomed the inquiry by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) into the matter, following the lodging of an official petition by Ablakwa.

Kusi Boateng, in a statement on January 16, 2023, added: "When all is done, I will seek redress against Mr. Ablakwa for his deliberate defamatory statements against me."

"I will continue to contribute my quota to the National Cathedral project and offer my services to the country to the best of my ability," the statement concluded.

BAI/OGB

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